34 Dr. Grateloup on the utility of Botany in Medicine. 



M. Loiseleur Deslongchamps, reflecting on this subject, 

 " does not. think that it is necessary to procure, from another 

 hemisphere, all the drugs which we employ. He thinks that 

 when the properties of the vegetables of France come to be ex- 

 amined with care, all the necessary remedies will be found 

 amongst them, and that they will be as good as those, which r 

 by long abuse, are still bought in the most distant countries." 

 (Rech. Hist. Botan. et Medic, stir les Narcisses indigenes, 

 1810, p. 17.) 



It is also very probable, says Mr, Pujade, after Mr De Can- 

 dolle, that the vomitive properties of the root of violets would 

 be unknown without the analogous knowledge of the Ipecacu- 

 anha, which is known to be procured from two different genera ; 

 the white from the Viola Ipecacuanha, which grows in Brazil ; 

 the grey from the Psychotri a Calicocca ; and the brown from 

 the Psychotria emetica, which are indigenous to Mexico. 



Again, we should perhaps be unacquainted with the purga- 

 tive powers of our Bindweeds (Convolvulus), and of our 

 Rum ex, without the Scammony procured from the Convol- 

 vulus Scammonia, and without the Rhubarb, which is the 

 root of Rheum pahnatum, undidatum, and Rhaponticum, plants 

 of the same family. 



It is according to the laws of analogy, that Forster, finding 

 the Lepidium oleraceum, in the South Sea Islands, used with 

 great success as an antiscorbutic ; and that Jussieu, Duhamel, 

 and Lemery, have demonstrated, that the Polygala of Europe 

 was employed for the same purposes, and with as much success 

 in pleurisy as the Polygala Se?ieka of Virginia. 



It is in consequence of this law, founded on the similarity of 

 botanical and medicinal characters, that the Gentianea?, on account 

 of their bitter principle, are considered as excellent tonics, 

 stomachics, and febrifuges ; that the Cruciferse, which contain 

 a bitter and ammoniacal juice, are thought very good stimulants 

 of the lymphatic system, and of course the best antiscorbutic 

 and scrofulous vegetables ; that the Liliaceae and Colchiceae, 

 the bulbs of which contain a very bitter gum resinous principle, 



